عانَدَهُopposed him فيin الحُبَlove أَعوانُهhis helpers
عانَدَهُ في الحُبَ أَعوانُه
وَخانَهُand betrayed him فيin الرَدِّthe response إِخوانُهhis brothers
وَخانَهُ في الرَدِّ إِخوانُه
His helpers opposed him in love,
His supporters in love betrayed him,
and his brothers betrayed him in their response.
And his brethren in rejection deceived him.
مُتَيَّمٌlove-stricken لَيسَthere is not لَهُfor him ناصِرٌa champion
مُتَيَّمٌ لَيسَ لَهُ ناصِرٌ
أَوَّلُthe first مَنwho عاداهُopposed him سُلوانُهhis solace
أَوَّلُ مَن عاداهُ سُلوانُه
Love-stricken, he has no champion;
He is an afflicted one with no helper,
the first to turn against him was his solace.
The first to turn against him was his companion.
يَكتِمُhe conceals ماwhat كابَدَهُendured it قَلبُهhis heart
يَكتِمُ ما كابَدَهُ قَلبُه
وَيُعجِزُand defeats الأَعيُنَthe eyes كِتمانُهhis concealment
وَيُعجِزُ الأَعيُنَ كِتمانُه
He conceals what his heart endured,
His heart conceals what it has endured,
yet his eyes are powerless to conceal it.
Yet its patience defeats the eyes.
ماnothing شانَهُshamed him إِلّاexcept مَقالُthe words of العِدىthe enemies
ما شانَهُ إِلّا مَقالُ العِدى
وَقَدand already هَمَتstreamed عَيناهُhis two eyes ماwhat شانُهhis plight
وَقَد هَمَت عَيناهُ ما شانُه
Nothing shamed him but his enemies' words;
His state is but the talk of enemies,
and his eyes have streamed—what is his plight?
Though his eyes intend what his state is.
كُلِّفَwas charged with إِخفاءَconcealing الهَوىlove قَلبُهُhis heart
كُلِّفَ إِخفاءَ الهَوى قَلبُهُ
فَعَزَّso became difficult مِنof ذَلِكَthat إِمكانُهits possibility
فَعَزَّ مِن ذَلِكَ إِمكانُه
His heart was charged with hiding love,
His heart was tasked with hiding passion,
but the possibility of doing so proved elusive.
Yet its ability for this was too difficult.
أَمانَةٌa trust يُشفِقُis fearful مِنof حَملِهاbearing it
أَمانَةٌ يُشفِقُ مِن حَملِها
لِفَرطِbecause of the enormity of ذاكَthat الثِقلِweight إِنسانُهhis mortal self
لِفَرطِ ذاكَ الثِقلِ إِنسانُه
A trust whose burden frightens
A trust he dreads to carry
his mortal self, so overwhelming is its weight.
Due to the heaviness of that burden for a human.
مَنwho لِمُحِبٍّfor a lover قَلبُهُhis heart هائِمٌdistraught
مَن لِمُحِبٍّ قَلبُهُ هائِمٌ
يَحِنُّhe yearns وَالأَحبابُand the beloveds جيرانُهhis neighbors
يَحِنُّ وَالأَحبابُ جيرانُه
Who will help a lover whose heart is distraught,
What of a lover whose wandering heart
who yearns though his beloveds are his neighbors?
Yearns while his loved ones are neighbors?
ماnever شامَhe glimpsed بَرقَthe lightning of الشامِal-Sham إِلّاexcept that هَمَتstreamed
ما شامَ بَرقَ الشامِ إِلّا هَمَت
بِوابِلِwith a downpour of الأَدمُعِtears أَجفانُهhis eyelids
بِوابِلِ الأَدمُعِ أَجفانُه
No sooner does he glimpse al-Sham's lightning than
The horizon of Damascus was lit
his eyelids pour torrential tears.
Only by the downpour of his tears.
سَقىmay water حِمىthe precincts of واديthe valley of حَماةَHama الحَياrain
سَقى حِمى وادي حَماةَ الحَيا
وَصَيَّبُand a downpour of الوَدقِrain وَهَتّانُهand its steady showers
وَصَيَّبُ الوَدقِ وَهَتّانُه
May rain water the precincts of Hama's valley,
It watered the preserve of Hama's life
with driving downpours and steady showers.
As well as its meadows and plains.
وَحَبَّذاand how lovely العاصيthe Orontes وَياand O حَبَّذاhow lovely
وَحَبَّذا العاصي وَيا حَبَّذا
دَهشَتُهُits Dahsha الغَرّاradiant وَمَيدانُهand its square
دَهشَتُهُ الغَرّا وَمَيدانُه
How lovely is the Orontes, and how lovely
It wished well for the rebel, how it wished!
its radiant Dahsha and its square!
Startled by him were the caves and battlefields.
وادٍa valley إِذاwhen مَرَّpasses نَسيمٌa breeze بِهِthrough it
وادٍ إِذا مَرَّ نَسيمٌ بِهِ
تَعَطَّرَتbecome fragrant بِالمِسكِwith musk أَردانُهits sleeves
تَعَطَّرَت بِالمِسكِ أَردانُه
A valley where, when a breeze passes through,
A valley, if a breeze passed through it
the breeze's sleeves are perfumed with musk.
Its branches would scent with musk.
تَستَأسِرُtake captive الأَبطالَthe heroes آرامُهits white gazelles
تَستَأسِرُ الأَبطالَ آرامُه
وَتَقنِصُand hunt الآسادَthe lions غِزلانُهits gazelles
وَتَقنِصُ الآسادَ غِزلانُه
Its white gazelles take heroes captive,
Its calm captures heroes
and its gazelles hunt down lions.
And its tranquility hunts fawns.
كَمhow many فيهِin it مِنof ظَبيٍa gazelle هَضيمِslender الحَشاthe waist
كَم فيهِ مِن ظَبيٍ هَضيمِ الحَشا
إِذاwhen اِنثَنىit sways يَحسُدُهُenvy it بانُهits ban-trees
إِذا اِنثَنى يَحسُدُهُ بانُه
How many a slender-waisted gazelle is there,
How many gazelles, shy of company,
whose swaying makes the valley's ban-trees envious!
When they bend down, their curves make them envied.
تَشابَهَتbecame alike عِندَat مُرورِthe passing of الصَباthe east wind
تَشابَهَت عِندَ مُرورِ الصَبا
قُدودُthe figures of أَهليهِits people وَأَغصانُهand its branches
قُدودُ أَهليهِ وَأَغصانُه
When the east wind passes, alike are
Near the passing winds, its branches
the figures of its people and its branches.
And those of its family resembled each other.
كَمhow many لَيلَةٍa night قَضيتُI spent فيin مَرجِهِits meadow
كَم لَيلَةٍ قَضيتُ في مَرجِهِ
وَقَدand already طَمَتoverflowed بِالماءِwith water غُدرانُهits pools
وَقَد طَمَت بِالماءِ غُدرانُه
How many a night I spent in its meadow,
How many nights did I spend in its meadow
while its pools overflowed with water,
With its streams swollen from water?
وَالأُفقُand the horizon حالٍadorned بِنُجومِwith the stars of الدُجىnight's darkness
وَالأُفقُ حالٍ بِنُجومِ الدُجى
قَدindeed كُلِّلَتwere wreathed بِالدُرِّwith pearls تيجانُهits crowns
قَد كُلِّلَت بِالدُرِّ تيجانُه
and the horizon, adorned with stars of night,
The horizon serene with the stars of nighttime
had its crowns wreathed with pearls.
Crowned with pearls were their diadems.
كَأَنَّماas though الجَوزاءُOrion فيهِin it وَقَدand already
كَأَنَّما الجَوزاءُ فيهِ وَقَد
حَفَّgathered بِهاaround it البَدرُthe full moon وَكيوانُهand its Saturn
حَفَّ بِها البَدرُ وَكيوانُه
As though Orion in that sky, with
As if the Aries constellation therein
the full moon and Saturn gathered around it,
Were embraced by the moon and its entourage.
بَيتُthe house of بَنيthe sons of أَيّوبَAyyub إِذwhen شُيَّدَتwere raised
بَيتُ بَني أَيّوبَ إِذ شُيَّدَت
بِالمَلِكِby King الناصِرِal-Nasir أَركانُهits pillars
بِالمَلِكِ الناصِرِ أَركانُه
were the house of Ayyub's sons, when
The house of the Ayyubids when erected
its pillars were raised by King al-Nasir.
Had its foundations set by the victorious king.
بَيتٌa house أَثيلٌancient and noble بَحرُهُits sea وافِرٌabundant
بَيتٌ أَثيلٌ بَحرُهُ وافِرٌ
قَدindeed سَلِمَتwere sound فيin المَجدِglory أَوزانُهits measures
قَد سَلِمَت في المَجدِ أَوزانُه
A house of ancient nobility, its sea abundant,
A lofty house whose sea is abundant,
its measures sound in glory.
Its weights in glory remained uncorrupted.
لاno غَروَwonder إِنif أَمسىit became مَشيداًlofty وَقَدand already
لا غَروَ إِن أَمسى مَشيداً وَقَد
أُسِّسَwas founded بِالمَعروفِupon kindness بُنيانُهits structure
أُسِّسَ بِالمَعروفِ بُنيانُه
No wonder it has become lofty, for
No wonder it still stands tall though
its structure was founded upon kindness.
Its structure was founded on kindness.
شَيَّدَهُraised it الناصِرُal-Nasir مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat
شَيَّدَهُ الناصِرُ مِن بَعدِ ما
قَدindeed كادَalmost أَنto يَنزَغَstir discord شَيطانُهits devil
قَد كادَ أَن يَنزَغَ شَيطانُه
Al-Nasir raised it after
The Victorious One rebuilt it after
its devil had almost stirred discord.
Its devil had nearly tore it down.
مَلكٌa king كَأَنَّas though الدَهرَTime عَبدٌa slave لَهُto him
مَلكٌ كَأَنَّ الدَهرَ عَبدٌ لَهُ
وَسائِرُand all الأَيّامِthe days أَعوانُهhis helpers
وَسائِرُ الأَيّامِ أَعوانُه
A king to whom Time seems a slave,
A king as if time itself were his servant
and all the days his helpers.
And the rest of the days his aides.
وَفىkept faith لَهُمwith them فيin قَولِهِhis word وَالوَفاand faithfulness
وَفى لَهُم في قَولِهِ وَالوَفا
قَدindeed بَلِيَتdecayed فيin اللَحدِthe grave أَكفانُهits shrouds
قَد بَلِيَت في اللَحدِ أَكفانُه
He kept his word to them, though fidelity's
In his word and loyalty, he fulfilled
shrouds had decayed within the grave.
While their shrouds in the grave have fulfilled them.
لاmay not زالَcease يُحيِيgive life بِنَداهُwith his bounty الوَرىmankind
لا زالَ يُحيِي بِنَداهُ الوَرى
وَيُغرِقُand engulfs العالَمَthe world طَوفانُهhis flood
وَيُغرِقُ العالَمَ طَوفانُه
May he never cease reviving mankind with his bounty,
He continues reviving the land with his call
and may his flood engulf the world.
And inundating the world with his flood.
ياO أَيُّهاyou المَلكُking الَّذيwho سُرُّهُhis private conduct
يا أَيُّها المَلكُ الَّذي سُرُّهُ
طاعَةُobedience to ذيthe holder of الأَمرِcommand وَإِعلانُهand his public conduct
طاعَةُ ذي الأَمرِ وَإِعلانُه
O king, who in secret
O You, the king whose secret is
and openly obeys the one in command,
Obeying the One in charge and declaring Him.
تَهِنَّrejoice بِالمُلكِin the kingship الَّذيwhose لَمnot تَكُنwere
تَهِنَّ بِالمُلكِ الَّذي لَم تَكُن
تُلقىbe handed إِلىto غَيرِكَanyone other than you أَرسانُهits reins
تُلقى إِلى غَيرِكَ أَرسانُه
rejoice in the kingship, whose
The kingdom you gained has never
reins were never handed to anyone but you.
Cast its anchors onto another but you.
طَلائِعُthe vanguard of الإِقبالِgood fortune جاءَتhave come وَذاand this
طَلائِعُ الإِقبالِ جاءَت وَذا
مُقتَبَلُthe outset of العُمرِlife وَرَيعانُهand its youthful bloom
مُقتَبَلُ العُمرِ وَرَيعانُه
The vanguard of good fortune has arrived, and this is
The vanguards of prosperity have come, and this
the outset of life and its youthful bloom.
Is the blossoming of your age and its youth.
هَذاthis كِتابٌa book ناطِقٌspeaking بِالعُلىof eminence
هَذا كِتابٌ ناطِقٌ بِالعُلى
وَهَذِهِand this الرُتبَةُrank عُنوانُهits heading
وَهَذِهِ الرُتبَةُ عُنوانُه
This is a book proclaiming eminence,
This is a telling book,
and this rank is its heading.
And this is its sublime title.
فَاِفخَرso take pride فَماfor not فَخرُكَyour pride بَدعاًa novelty وَقَدand already
فَاِفخَر فَما فَخرُكَ بَدعاً وَقَد
قامَwas established لِأَهلِto the people of العَصرِthe age بُرهانُهits proof
قامَ لِأَهلِ العَصرِ بُرهانُه
So take pride: your pride is no novelty, for
So boast, your boasting is no novelty,
its proof stands clear to the people of this age.
For your proof has stood for the people of this age.
يَفخَرُtakes pride ذوthe possessor of المُلكِkingship إِذاwhen ماever بَداappears
يَفخَرُ ذو المُلكِ إِذا ما بَدا
لَهُto him مِنَfrom السُلطانِthe sultan إِحسانُهhis favor
لَهُ مِنَ السُلطانِ إِحسانُه
A king takes pride whenever
One endowed with a kingdom boasts
the sultan's favor is shown to him.
When kindness from his rule is displayed.
فَكَيفَso how about مَنone whose والِدُهُhis father قَدalready قَضىhas died
فَكَيفَ مَن والِدُهُ قَد قَضى
فَأَصبَحَso became الوالِدَthe father سُلطانُهhis sultan
فَأَصبَحَ الوالِدَ سُلطانُه
How much more one whose father has died,
So what of one whose father fulfilled,
and whose sultan has become his father!
And whose father became his sultan?
زَكّاكُمُpurified you قُربانُthe offering of إيمانِكُمyour faith
زَكّاكُمُ قُربانُ إيمانِكُم
بِهِin him وَزَكّىand purified الغَيرَothers إيمانُهhis faith
بِهِ وَزَكّى الغَيرَ إيمانُه
You were purified by the offering of your faith
You were made pure by your faith in Him,
in him; others were purified by his faith.
And through you He purified others’ faith.
مَنwhoever يَكُis إِسماعيلُIsma'il أَصلاًa forebear لَهُto him
مَن يَكُ إِسماعيلُ أَصلاً لَهُ
لاno بِدعَwonder أَنthat يُقبَلَis accepted قُربانُهhis offering
لا بِدعَ أَن يُقبَلَ قُربانُه
Whoever has Isma'il as his forebear,
One who is from Ishmael’s origins
it is no wonder that his offering is accepted.
His offering cannot but be accepted.
أَبٌa father بِهِthrough whom تُرفَعُare raised عَنfrom مَجدِكُمyour glory
أَبٌ بِهِ تُرفَعُ عَن مَجدِكُم
قَواعِدُthe foundations of البَيتِthe House وَأَركانُهand its pillars
قَواعِدُ البَيتِ وَأَركانُه
A father through whom, from your glory, rise
A father through whom the foundations
the House's foundations and its pillars.
And pillars of your house are raised high.
أَبلَجُradiant لاnot يَخسَرُloses مَنwhoever أَمَّهُseeks him
أَبلَجُ لا يَخسَرُ مَن أَمَّهُ
يَوماًon any day وَلاand not يَخسَرُgives short measure ميزانُهhis balance
يَوماً وَلا يَخسَرُ ميزانُه
Radiant: whoever seeks him never loses,
A full moon that does not lose one
on any day; nor do his scales give short measure.
Who takes him as a mother, nor his scale.
تَكادُalmost أَنto تَعشوseek light إِلىtoward ضَيفِهِhis guest
تَكادُ أَن تَعشو إِلى ضَيفِهِ
لِفَرطِbecause of the intensity of ماhow much تَهواهُthey love him نيرانُهhis fires
لِفَرطِ ما تَهواهُ نيرانُه
They almost turn toward his guest for light—
He nearly rushes to serve his guest
his fires, so ardently do they love him.
Due to his fires' craving for him.
إِنif ذُكِرَis mentioned العِلمُlearning فَنُعمانُهُthen its Nu'man
إِن ذُكِرَ العِلمُ فَنُعمانُهُ
أَوor ذُكِرَis mentioned الحُكمُwisdom فَلُقمانُهthen its Luqman
أَو ذُكِرَ الحُكمُ فَلُقمانُه
If learning is mentioned, he is its Nu'man;
If knowledge is mentioned, Nu‘man is its breeze,
or if wisdom is mentioned, he is its Luqman.
Or if wisdom is mentioned, Luqman is its breeze.
أَحزَنَناgrieved us فُقدانُهُhis loss فَاِنجَلَتso were dispelled
أَحزَنَنا فُقدانُهُ فَاِنجَلَت
بِالمَلِكِby King الأَفضَلِal-Afdal أَحزانُهits sorrows
بِالمَلِكِ الأَفضَلِ أَحزانُه
His loss grieved us, but our sorrow
Losing him saddened us, so the griefs
was dispelled by King al-Afdal.
Were unveiled with the most excellent king.
سَلامُthe peace of ذيthe Lord of العَرشِthe Throne عَلىupon نَفسِهِhis soul
سَلامُ ذي العَرشِ عَلى نَفسِهِ
وَرَحمَةُand the mercy of اللَهِGod وَرِضوانُهand His good pleasure
وَرَحمَةُ اللَهِ وَرِضوانُه
May the Lord of the Throne's peace rest upon his soul,
Greetings from the Lord of the Throne unto Himself,
and God's mercy and His good pleasure.
And may God's mercy and blessings be upon him.
Sol 6.1